


In Need of Advice

by Starcadia



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Angst, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, POV Third Person, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2019-03-20 17:52:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13722933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starcadia/pseuds/Starcadia
Summary: Even the friskiest of people need help, and who else is better to ask advice from but the charming Prince of Monsters?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever completed and published fanfic!! It may not be the best and could do with a bit more polishing, but I'm satisfied with it. I hope you all enjoy it :D

     Friday night was quiet as usual. It was always a great time to relax after a long week of school, and Asriel did just that on his bed after dinner. With a pillow between his back and the headboard, he played his acoustic guitar. He swayed his head to the rhythm of the music, humming a small part every now and then.

     He glanced at the door as it creaked open.

     “Um . . . Azzy?” Frisk peeked from the gap. “I need to ask you something.”

     The Boss Monster hummed as he continued to play the mellow tune. “What is it, Frisk?

     “Well . . .” Frisk walked in and closed the door behind them. They were wearing pajamas like him, but instead of having faded yellow stars strewn about, it was a simple baby blue.

     Asriel could see their shyness in each step they took. He raised a brow at this for a moment, but he ignored it for the time being.

     “You know how the prom is next week, right?” they asked, to which Asriel replied with a nod. They sighed and glanced to the side, a faint blush forming on their cheeks. “There’s this special someone that I want to ask out, and . . .” they looked back at him with a smile, “I need some advice from you!”

      A wrong note played by Asriel, mixed with a glass break in his head as his face twitched. “What!?” He shook his head and proceeded to clear his throat. “Sorry, but why me? Can’t you go ask mom? Or what about Chara?”

     “Mom’s busy right now, and I personally think you’re the slightly better sibling. No offense to Chara; I just think you have a bit of charm in your personality.”

     Asriel blushed at their compliment.

     He couldn’t tell if they were being serious or not. It wasn’t often that they would ask him and Chara for advice, more so ones for _dating_. He always thought that they would be the master at that sort of topic with how often they would flirt and throw compliments at people, and his currently rosy cheeks were a clear sign of that.

     He sighed. “Fine.” He scooted on his butt and sat at the edge of his bed. He set his guitar on his lap. “A little forewarning: I’m not the best with the whole romance thing, so take my words with a grain of salt, okay?”

     Frisk nodded with that same coy smile as they gave a thumbs up. “You got it, Boss!” They giggled. Asriel groaned and rolled his eyes, but his smile indicated that he was playing along. That pun will never get old for the two of them.

     “First things first,” Asriel pointed at the bed across the opposite side of his, “have a seat. I can’t have you tire out your legs while I ramble.” As Frisk went over to their bed, he began to play with his guitar once more.

     He wasn’t necessarily playing a song as he merely strummed the strings every now and then; though, he did hum a certain tune in his mind. _Their Theme_ was music to his soul, and he knew each note/chord by heart, but he could never evoke as much emotion as Chara and Frisk could on a piano.

     Coming up with genuine advice proved to be difficult. It’s not because he’s as lousy in romance as he had previously warned—he could be a suave monster when he wanted to be—but because it was Frisk! They’re lecturing someone who had successfully flirted with a Whimsun in the past; someone who can put a second blush on Chara’s cheeks; someone who can cheer up a hardcore emo. How can you go higher when you’ve reached the peak?

     He sighed, plucking his instrument once more before looking at the eager human. “All right, I want to know first: who’s this special someone?”

     A blush immediately found its way on Frisk’s face. They uttered a prolonged “Uh” as they glanced to the side for a moment. “They’re . . .” They shook their head. “Why is this important?”

     Asriel shrugged. “I’m just curious, that’s all.” And that was the truth. He wasn’t going to probe them any further. They looked uncomfortable enough as is, so he’ll drop the topic for now. “Okay, now for the actual teaching. The first rule in a relationship is respect. That applies to everyone else, not just your partner, mind you. Respect other people, and they’ll respect you back. Hopefully.”

     Frisk nodded in agreement, which was a good sign for him. That meant that he was doing a good job so far, which he honestly didn’t expect. Or maybe it was a pity nod so he would keep talking and entertaining them. Either way, he was going to continue on with his oh-so-wise lecture.

     “Second, you–” He stopped to look at the door when someone else entered, Frisk doing the same.

     It was Chara, who was in their floral pajamas and rubbing their tired eyes. They switched glances between the trainer and the trainee. “Why are you two still up? I thought you both needed your beauty sleeps for the upcoming dance.”

     “Well, why are _you_ up? We all have the same–” Asriel was shut up when Chara waved a half-eaten chocolate bar. “Oh . . . of course that would keep you up.”

     Chara chuckled. They fully entered the room and closed the door behind them. “Was I interrupting something special between you two?”

     “Yeah, Asriel is teaching me how to date!”

     A snort came from Chara, their puffed cheeks hiding laughter. “Why would you ever need lessons for that? You’ve already won the hearts of many.”

     Asriel expected Chara to say something along the lines of “including mine.” Chara could be the prime candidate for Frisk. They always seemed to get along together, and the blush on Frisk’s coy face meant that they appreciated the compliment. Though, taking your sibling to the prom and treating it as a date sounded like a bizarre idea. For fun or for real, it still felt like a taboo concept either way.

     “As much as I would ask them out now, I need some confidence boost, and Asriel is the perfect person for that!”

     Asriel’s face twitched once more. “Am not,” he protested. “Chara would make a far better teacher than me. They’ve seen you flirt more than I have.”

     Frisk pouted at him, and Chara finally released their laughter in response. “Get real, Az,” said Chara. “I bet my entire chocolate stash that no one’s ever going to approach me for the prom.”

     “Don’t say that, Chara,” Frisk said, “I’m sure someone out there is going to take you to the dance.” They gave them a reassuring smile.

     “And be careful of what you gamble with—you wouldn’t want me having a taste of your precious dark chocolate, would you?” Asriel smirked, which Chara countered with a hiss.

     “Those fancy chocolates are reserved for me and me only.” Taking a bite of their chocolate in-hand, Chara sauntered over to their bed, which was set up sideways against the wall. They would have a nice view of the sunrise the next day, a privilege the other siblings envied. Asriel’s and Frisk’s beds were up against the walls that had adjacent rooms on the other side. At least they both had a single wooden shelf above them to place figurines and whatnot.

     Chara, after placing their sweet on their nightstand, lay down on their bed, getting comfy under their single blanket. “Go to bed, you two. You can practice feeding each other during breakfast.”

     Asriel sighed, Frisk nodding in response. Chara had the right idea; it was getting pretty late for them, after all. On the plus side he’ll get some sleep to rest his mind so he won’t sputter out as much nonsense. Though he could devise more “tips and tricks” by staring at the ceiling for hours, he wanted to catch as much sleep as he could. No better time to hang out with Frisk than on the weekends.

     Seeing them crawl into their bed, Asriel did the same. He set his guitar down in front of the bed before he lay down. Having a blanket would be unnecessary as he already had fur to keep him warm.

     “Good night, guys,” he said.

     “Night,” the other two replied in unison, Frisk sounding more lively than Chara.

  
     Asriel prepared breakfast for his siblings. Toriel and Asgore had left earlier to attend to each of their own businesses, as written on the note left on the dining table. Despite being a simple meal of bacon and eggs, he was still proud of what he cooked.

     Cooking, along with baking, was something he took interest in. He wanted to learn more delicacies other than snail and butterscotch-cinnamon pie. Though it tasted good, it wasn’t as delectable as his mom could cook. Besides, he wanted to prepare his own food, and being able to use fire magic made it more intriguing and invaluable for him to learn.

     He carried two plates and headed to the dining table. Chara had taken their own plate, being the eager and impatient sibling that they were. They gave Asriel a pat on the back as they passed him by and headed for the seat next to Frisk.

     Asriel, with a smile on his face after the kind gesture, set down each of the plates in front of Frisk and a vacant spot next to them that he would soon occupy.

     “This isn’t that bad, Azzy,” complimented Chara, chewing after a bite. “And without requiring mom’s help? I think you’re on your way to becoming a five-star restaurant owner.”

     Asriel suppressed his chuckle as he sat down. “Thanks, Chara. I’ll make sure to have two of your faces on the front door, to showcase who made everything possible—and also to advertise the flower shop that you two would set up.” Another laugh, but he let it out this time. A monster could dream, right?

     They began eating in silence. Asriel planned out in his head what to do with Frisk. A regular hangout would be the simplest option. It would’ve sufficed, but he thought that he could do something more . . . serious. Not “serious” as in he would get intimate with Frisk, but serious enough for them to get a clear idea of what to do (as if they didn’t already).

     The silence and his train of thought broke as Frisk spoke, asking, “So what’s your plan, Asriel?”

     The Boss Monster scratched the back of his head as he glanced off to the side. _This is going to turn out horribly,_ he thought to himself. He looked at Frisk in the eyes. “We could try out Chara’s suggestion last night.”

     “Which was . . . ?”

     “Feeding each other,” he said, his cheeks turning red under his fur.

     A snort came from Chara, causing the other two to look at them. “Oh my god, I was just joking about that, Az.” Another snort, her lips quivering from holding in their laughter. “But I won’t stop you from taking my stellar suggestion.” Their eyelids perked up. “Oh, and speaking of stellar: why don’t we stargaze later night. I heard talk of a meteor shower tonight.”

     Frisk beamed with joy and excitement. “That’d be so much fun!” They looked back at the monster and said, “Wouldn’t you agree, Az?”

     “Y-yeah, that would be.” Asriel was still a bit flustered. Chara informing that their suggestion was a joke made him feel dumb. Even if they were kidding, it still sounded like a good idea. Though, that raised the question of: “Why would you and your date feed each other in a prom?” It’s a school activity, not an occasion to be lovey-dovey with your date, even if it was your special someone.

     But it seemed Asriel had already put the final nail in the coffin when Frisk asked, “So are we going to try out Chara’s suggestion?”

     Asriel wanted to scream. His forced, sheepish smile and minor twitching said it all. Maybe it’s just his mind still waking up, but he knew that he wasn’t thinking ahead. He should just finish breakfast in peace and–

     “Sure,” he replied as he reconnected to reality. “I don’t see why not. It’ll help if you two get together after the prom.” He still had that same look of sheepishness on his face.

     He looked down at his plate. On the greasy plate were a single bacon and half an egg with the yolk spilling out. He glanced at Frisk’s plate, noting that their plates were virtually identical. He could give either of the two, he figured. He cut a piece off the egg’s white and stabbed his fork into it. He faced Frisk and let the food hover over his plate for the time being. The handle was trapped between his index and middle finger while his thumb lightly pressed down on the end of it.

     “I’m beginning to question why I need to teach to this, actually. Feeding someone else isn’t difficult to do, but oh well,” He said with a shrug. “This might come off as rude, but imagine your date is a kid or even a baby if you want. Be delicate when putting food in their mouth, and don’t shove the utensil down their throat. Like so.” He gently moved the fork over to Frisk, who opened their mouth for a moment to let the food enter. Once closed, Asriel pulled the fork back, careful as to not scrape it against their teeth or the roof of their mouth.

     “Did you get that?” he asked. He then smiled as Frisk nodded with contentment and a faint blush as they chewed. He just knew that he already mimicked the red tint of their cheeks. He scratched along his cheeks and let out a quick laugh to hide his embarrassment.

 

     Asriel played with his guitar once again. While Frisk and Chara were with Undyne and Papyrus for their weekend morning jog, he took this time to practice the chords for his favorite song at the moment. The overzealous skeleton had begged multiple times before for him to join, but he insisted. He already had magic training with mom and then weapon sparring with dad. Though that wasn’t until they return later in the afternoon, a simple “I have something important to do” was enough to persuade Papyrus.

     The song in question that he was practicing was none other than Photograph. No, not the song old from the meme video that Chara showed him last week. The Photograph that Ed Sheeran sang. He loved his music, and it was one of the reasons he started learning to play the guitar.

     “ _Oh you can fit me, inside the necklace you got when you were 16, next to your heartbeat where I should be, keep it deep within your soul–_ ”

     The door creaking open caused him to stop singing and strumming. Looking at the doorway, he saw Chara standing there, gawking at him. There was a moment of silence between them before they eventually said, “You were a little off key at the end, Az.” They entered, closing the door behind them.

     “A little off-key . . . ?” The realization just hit him that he was singing his heart out. The embarrassment kicked in as shown in his grimace and pinkish cheeks. His sentence became a jumbled mess of Ums and Ahs. Eventually he rubbed his right floppy ear over his face.

     Chara laughed at this display. “Don’t worry, Az. I won’t tell anybody.” They plopped down onto their bed. “I’ll just spread rumors of your upcoming concert.” Even that didn’t sound comforting in the least bit.

     After wiping all the embarrassment off his face with his ear, he said, “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be on your morning jog with Frisk?” Though he mainly asked that because he wanted some alone time, he also questioned the duration of the exercise and the lack of dampening sweat on their gray shirt and skin.

     “I was,” they answered while taking off their running shoes, “but then . . . something vile stirred up inside. My mind urged me to return to this sanctuary known as home. I wanted to revolt and stay, but alas, I couldn’t endure the evil within me. I begged my dear sibling and friends if I could venture back home alone, and they allowed me, all without me mentioning this malicious abomination that’s rotting me from the inside, hitting me where I can’t hit back.

     “But now, being in this very room and conversing with you, I feel safe—I feel as if the evil had never manifested in my soul.”

     Asriel blinked. He stared at Chara, long enough for them to grow tired of sitting and was now lying down on their bed. “As much as I love hearing you monologue, I’m not buying it.”

     Chara gasped at his disbelief. They placed a hand on their forehead, palm facing at the ceiling. “Alas, how I feared that you would not believe a word I say. My dear brother, Asriel—whom I love so dearly with all my being—how could you not put your heart and faith in any of my bullshit?” They proceeded to laugh, Asriel doing the same soon after. They sat up and explained, “I got bored and wanted to eat chocolate.”

     “Yeah, that’s a more likely story.” Asriel laughed again.

     “Other than that, I just wanted to hang out with you. I don’t hate Frisk or anything; I’ll kill you if you tell them that. But I don’t really get a chance to be with you alone. You know, just like old times?”

      _Just like old times_. Asriel missed the good ol’ days when they lived in the Underground. Though things turned bleak after their plan failed, he could never forget the joy Chara brought to him and his family after they fell and took the Dreemurr name. How he missed doodling with them and taking a walk around the capital while each of them rode on mom’s and dad’s shoulders. They were so young back then; now they were more mature and almost felt like they could handle whatever life threw at them, or most of life’s trials for the most part.

     They weren’t the typical angsty teenagers—at least not fully—but they would occasionally suffer from the changes in their bodies and mentalities. Asriel was the least affected by the hormonal changes. Being a monster, he didn’t fall victim to acne and inability to cope with minor stress. Though, that didn’t mean he never had a tough time—everyone does.

     He smiled. “I’d love to,” he said, putting a mimicking smile on Chara’s face.


	2. Chapter 2

     “Come on, the best spot is over here!” Frisk said, gesturing to hurry up while pointing ahead of them.

     The sun was quick to hide half of itself behind the mountains. It made for a beautiful view as it gave the sky a warm orange hue. It got dark for where they were, though. Luckily for the group, they had the power of magic on their side. And also batteries and artificial light from lanterns and flashlights, but a fireball was way cooler! Though the glow was weaker in comparison and limited to where Asriel’s hand was, it was still cooler, damn it.

     They stopped upon reaching their destination on the mountainside. “I remember this spot,” Chara whispered. They took slow steps toward the precipice and sat on the edge next to Frisk. They set their lantern beside them. “How did I not know that you would pick this spot. It had the most picturesque view when we all stood here.”

     Frisk looked at them, beaming. “I knew you would love this spot.” They looked back at the others who sat a good distance from them. “And I know that you would all love the view!”

     “Y-yeah,” said Faith, “you can get a clear view of the sky from here.”

Hope leaned forward and poked her head between Asriel and Arcadia. “Frisk is totally gonna take Chara to the dance,” she whispered. Hope contrasted almost everything about her sister: outgoing, energetic, glasses, her darker skin tone. But the two of them blended so well together like butter and toast—just like how Frisk and Chara would go well together.

     “I think you’re right on the nose with that one,” Arcadia commented, taking off her headphones and letting it rest around her neck. “Who are you guys going to take to the dance? ‘Cause I’m open for anyone right now.”

     “I don’t have anyone in mind right now, and no one has asked me out yet,” said Hope.

     “I don’t really wanna dance with anyone. I-I’m mainly going because Hope is going,” said Faith.

     “Huh, that’s a little surprising from you, Hope.” Arcadia looked at Asriel. “What about you, Az?”

     Asriel thought about it for a moment before shrugging. “I’ll go with you, I guess. I don’t have anyone else to go with, so I’ll take this opportunity.”

     Arcadia smiled at this. “Nice.” The albino fox monster looked at the two humans sitting on the cliff. She whispered, “Though, I expected you to take Chara or even Frisk to the dance considering they’re the closest person to you. But then again, they do seem pleased with each other.”

     “Are you even allowed to take your sibling as your date to the prom?” Faith asked.

     “That’s kind of the reason why I didn’t ask either of them out. Besides, Frisk asked me to ‘lecture’ them about dating with Chara’s knowledge. So either they’re trying to lower Chara’s guard, or it’s genuinely someone else.”

     Hope gasped at that possibility. “What if it’s one of us?” She looked at Arcadia. “What if it’s you? Then when you take Asriel to the dance they’re gonna be so heartbroken!” They all hushed her, but Frisk and Chara already heard them when they looked back. They both laughed at Hope’s slippery slope.

     “I’m not gonna take Arcadia to the dance. Sorry about that, Cade.”

     Arcadia swung an arm with a snap of a finger as a sign of defeat. “Dang. So that means I can go out with Asriel?”

     “Yeah, you can take him to the dance.” Chara wrapped an arm around Frisk and leaned into them. “Because I know who they’re going with.”

     “Hah!” Hope called out, pointing at them. “I knew you two are going together! It’s so painstakingly obvious!”

     “Oh, how I feel such a fool for believing that it was discreet. How could it have been obvious?” Chara and Frisk laughed. “And Az, don’t you dare lay a finger on my stash. We never agreed to that bet I jokingly proposed.”

     “Damn, I was _just_ imagining how much I can eat in one sitting. I guess I’ll only be able to taste them in my dreams.”

     Faith slightly raised a hand and pointed at the dark sky. “L-look,” she said, raising their voice more than usual. Everyone looked, and they caught a glimpse of a slender white object crashing down toward the Earth’s surface. “It’s starting!”

     Each of them lay down on the ground with their lanterns and flashlights (and fireball) beside them. Frisk and Chara stayed at the edge, dangling their feet and admiring the stellar view as each bright light darted across the night sky and (hopefully) landing in the ocean. This was all of their first time watching a meteor shower, and it was truly a sight to behold.

 

     Asriel and Arcadia walked down the path, the Boss Monster holding a fireball in his right hand—opposite of where the other was—while the kitsune had her lantern turned off. The others discussed about some personal topic back where they were stargazing, so they took this time walked around the forest that surrounded Mt. Ebott.

     “You know what they’re talking about?” asked Arcadia, to which Asriel shrugged at.

     “They probably stayed on purpose to let us walk together. You know, because we’re ‘dates’ and all.”

     “Yeah, that’s probably it. It was Chara who called them, after all.”

     Silence then flooded the space between them as they continued walking. They didn’t stray far from where they originally were, and they would make slight turns in a single direction so they would circle back to the mountain, and eventually walk on the hard path.

     Breaking the minutes of silence, Asriel said, “So . . . is this where we start to hold hands?” Arcadia stared at him, a bit of confusion on her face that would soon be replaced by a smile.

     “Is there something stopping you?” She offered her right metallic hand, which Asriel promptly held. It felt cold, but he wasn’t going to complain about it.

     Arcadia wasn’t born until a few years after the seventh fallen human’s death. He’d met her way back during his time as a soulless flower, but he never revealed that part of his life to her, or any of his other friends for that matter. “It’s better to let that point in the past die,” he had said to himself and Frisk and Chara.

     But even as a flower, he never really got to knew Arcadia. He never introduced himself and toyed around with her like he had done with a few people. It was only after he had been given a second chance in this replica of his body that he got close to her. They were in the same class, and he later learned that they lived on the same street in their neighborhood. One day she chatted with the group about how she lost her right hand and a part of her arm during an accident in her parents’ lab, and she had to live a few months with a missing appendage until she eventually got a prosthetic replacement.

     Four years later, here they were now: practically best buds.

     He and Arcadia looked at each other’s eyes, a smile wide on both their faces.

     “What are you lovebirds doing?” They both stopped, surprised and embarrassed that they ran into the group.

     “W-we were just taking a walk while waiting for you guys,” Asriel explained.

     “Yeah? While holding hands?” Chara teased.

     Asriel whimpered feebly. “Yes . . . .” He looked at the ground. If light shone on his face, which it no longer did since his fireball died, you would’ve seen how red it got. Though, it soon got its spotlight when Arcadia turned on her lantern. He lifted his head a little and looked at her when she talked back.

     “Hey! At least we hold hands like a couple! I don’t see you and Frisk doing sweet stuff like this.” Asriel could feel Arcadia’s grip tightening. Though, it didn’t reach the point that it started to hurt.

     “Oh yeah?” Chara grabbed Frisk’s hand and leaned into them. “Well Frisk and I have known each other longer than you two have!”

     Arcadia gasped. “How dare you say that?!” She let go of Asriel’s hands and proceeded to wrap her arms around Asriel; Chara mimicked her with Frisk. Arcadia rested her head on Asriel’s shoulder; Chara copied that too.

     Asriel awkwardly looked at her. Her head was that close that his snout bumped her forehead. “Um . . . Arcadia?”

     Chara kissed Frisk on their cheek. They rested their head on their shoulder again, a smirk across their features. “Are you going to copy _my_ style, fox?”

     Arcadia pulled Asriel closer, her hands grasping his right arm and shoulder. Her face showed the struggle to do the same. “Arc . . . ?” Asriel said once more. He opened his mouth to speak further, but he was silenced by Arcadia’s lips. His eyes widened, contrasting her closed eyes.

     Arcadia opened her eyes and widened them upon realizing that she missed his cheek. She squirmed into his mouth before pushing him away and taking a few steps back. Asriel stumbled back but managed to retain his balance. She stared at him, and he stared back, both of their faces as red as tomatoes. Asriel was stunned, while Arcadia looked like she was going to have a mental breakdown with how shaky and quick her breathing got.

     “A-Arcadia?” Asriel took a step forward.

     Arcadia's face scrunched up, as if she was going to burst into tears. She vanished, alarming Asriel and the rest of the group. He dashed forward and grabbed blindly, predicting her movement. He got a hold of something, and Arcadia reappeared, the sleeve of her orange jacket being held. A fireball lit up on Asriel’s free hand, and he brought it near her face. Tears on her fur reflected the shining light. “H-hey, are you crying?”

     “Let me go, Asriel!” Arcadia jerked her arm free from Asriel’s grip. Before she could run off, she looked at Chara who looked apologetic, walking closer, as she spoke:

     “Arcadia, are you okay? God, I’m sorry for pressuring you like that. I didn’t expect you to actually do it.”

     Arcadia’s shakiness persisted in her sniffles. Her body quivered. She pursed her lips, trying to hold back her tears. “Y-yeah,” she choked, “I-I’m just . . . I d-didn’t intend to kiss him on the lips. I-I thought . . .” She hid her lips again when Chara placed a hand on her shoulder.

     “It’s fine, Arcadia. No one’s going to get mad at you.” Chara looked at Asriel, Arcadia’s eyes lagging but doing the same.

     “S-sorry for that, Asriel.” Her eyes drooped as she looked at the dark ground.

     Asriel still looked shocked after having his mouth virginity taken from him. He blinked a few times and whispered, “Apology accepted.”

     Arcadia occasionally glanced toward the group, but her eyes would always return to looking at the ground. Chara comforting her with only a hand managed to ease her nerves, which in turn reduced her shaking. “I’m sorry for almost bolting on you guys. I really was just joking around, but I just . . . I don’t know what got into me,” she said, smiling a little and laughing. “I guess I’m not used to getting embarrassed like that.”

     “It’s all good, Cade,” reassured Frisk. “We’re not going to judge. Right, guys?”

     Hope and Faith agreed, nodding with a “Yup” and “Yeah.”

     Arcadia smiled, albeit still sheepish. Asriel couldn’t help smiling as well. Though confused and unable to fully comprehend what just unfolded, he’ll admit that he quite enjoyed that kiss. He wasn’t to say that out loud as more than Arcadia’s ears were going to catch that, and his perpetual internal screaming prevented him from doing so.

     Oh well. At least he got a date whose company he was pleased with. Life seemed to be turning out well for him at the moment.


	3. Chapter 3

     Life was going terribly. That had got to be the most embarrassing night of her life. And now she had to meet him again. Time went by so quick that she couldn’t even recall what she did yesterday. Though, all she probably did was lie down on her bed the whole day and contemplate all her life choices up to this point, just like what she was doing right now.

     Arcadia just stared at the ceiling. Her body looked lifeless with her arms and legs spread with her orange blanket covering one leg and draped over the edge of the bed. _Why did I kiss him_. That same thought spiraled in her thoughts over and over. It would’ve been all fine and dandy if it was on the cheeks but _no_ , she had to space out and not realize that Asriel turned his head. She even felt his snout hit her forehead!

     She groaned. Sitting up, she rubbed the extra rheum in her eyes. What a mess she was. At least her room didn’t represent her current state. She always kept it tidy; being organize is a must when she wanted to be a scientist like her parents. Even her hobby and second career option in creating music—she needed to keep everything organized, or at least be an organized mess.

     Her desk had some scattered papers of some personal notes, mostly about ideas on music and projects. She _loved_ to experiment. That might’ve been a bad habit when she was younger as it cost her a hand, but it eventually benefited her with some wisdom, nifty gadgets, and some kick-ass music.

     Next to her desk lamp was a glass cage for her pet rat Bubbles. Oh how she adored that gray rodent. Being a literal lab rat, he’d fetch her small parts, keep her company, and the most important element of a pet—be adorable. Watching him lay on his back and squeak was so dang cute, and it made her glad that the family didn’t set up any mousetraps in the house.

     She finally got up from her bed. She needed to; it was a Monday, after all, and that meant school. A day for him to meet Asriel. _Time to cry in the shower_ , she thought.

 

     She looked at the mirror, brushing the white fur of her head and making sure the streaks of orange fur was in its place. She smiled, first genuine from joy before turning into a sheepish one. _The Prince of All Monsters’s date, folks_.

     The pastel orange hoodie she loved to wear over all her attire was a priced possession, and it had been for a few years. Much like her metallic hand and specially engineered headphones, it was from her parents. Well, her parents’ money and suggestion to be more specific. They were out shopping one day, and her dad teased this in front of the 12-year-old fox known as Arcadia. Loving its simple look and light color, the fox begged to have it bought, and it stayed with her throughout the years. Legend has it that she’ll wear it to death, most likely going to have her dust spread on it.

     With her backpack slung over one shoulder, she replayed her playlist on the way to the front door. Upon swinging it open, she was greeted by Faith and Hope, who had her fist up as if to knock on the door. “Oh,” she said, lowering her hand. “Hey, Arcadia. What great timing.”

     “Yeah, hey. Why are you two here? You never come to pick me up for school before.”

     “Well, on this day, me and Faith decided to be your chauffeur!” Hope bowed all fancy like. “At your service, miss Sylveria.”

     “Doesn’t that require a car?” Faith whispered, which was true.

     “I think you mean escort,” Arcadia corrected her.

     “Yes,” Hope straightened her spine, “that. We’re gonna keep you company in our walk to school.”

     Arcadia sniffed out something fishy, and she knew well that they would never bring that in their packed lunch. Instead of interrogating them right off the bat, she shrugged. “All right.” She took a few steps forward and closed the door behind her. “Let’s go. Walking has been getting lonely and boring lately.”

     Hope and Faith smiled, though Faith’s looked a bit uncomfortable. They both followed, Hope walking by her side while Faith lagged behind a little. “Then we’ll make great escorts for you, milady.”

     “Oh my god, stop acting like I’m royalty.”

     “But you’re basically royalty now! Arcadia,” she waved her hand and gestured dramatically, “the princess and future queen of all monsterkind. She, with the help of Asriel, brought hope to all monsters and humans alike. And it was all thanks to the support of her future secretaries, Hope and Faith.” She looked at the fox, beaming with excitement. “Doesn’t that sound terrific? Everyone would praise you for being an amazing ruler!”

     Hope’s imagination was so wild at times. It’s like a roller coaster that never ends, and you couldn’t do anything but enjoy the ride. Arcadia adored that, but she couldn’t see herself in that position. Taking Asriel’s hand and the Dreemurr name and becoming the princess and then the queen? That was a roller coaster that she’d gladly jump off.

     “As much as I love hearing you ramble, I don’t think I’d make a good ruler. Asriel can find someone better to rule with, and I’m pretty sure Chara’s going to snag that position anyway. If anything, I’d be the Royal Scientist at best, and that’s if I take after my parents talents and there’s no competition. And if I’m not, then I’d be a lonely monster crafting gadgets and making music, who also happens to be friends with the king and queen.”

     “Aw, come on, don’t think like that! Dream big, worry small!”

     Although, if Arcadia was being honest, she’d admit that life would be luxurious. But she just wouldn’t be able to handle the constant stress and pressure of ruling this town or _country_ if it grew to that point. She laughed. “I am dreaming big, just not _that_ big.”

     Hope grinned at her. She looked at her sister when she repeatedly tapped her shoulder. “What is it, Faith?”

     “A-aren’t you forgetting about something?” whispered Faith. Hope stared at her, her smile fading from her features.

     “Oh, right . . .” She turned her head away from her to look down at the sidewalk they walked on. “Arcadia, I . . . I need to tell you something; something you can’t share with anyone else.”

     That turned bleak all of a sudden. That tone didn’t match up with Hope’s cheerful demeanor. This had to be pretty serious. “Shoot.”


	4. Chapter 4

     Asriel stood at the center of their bedroom with Chara and Frisk in front of him. The prom was nearing, with only two days left, and Asriel had practically taught Frisk the basics and fundamentals of dating. They all had their dresses and suit washed and well ironed; they learned proper table etiquette from mom; they got their dates sorted out. Now all’s that left was to wait for the big day. But . . . there was one last issue they must settle

     “So . . . which of us can actually dance?” Asriel asked, arms crossed.

     “I can,” Chara and Frisk answered in sync. Asriel frowned.

     “Well now I just feel left out.”

     “Don’t worry about it, Az.” Chara chuckled. They took both of his hands and said, “Dancing with a partner is easy.” They raised his left hand and spun around once, before pulling him and herself closer, their left hand on his shoulder. “Be graceful, don’t tense your body, and don’t step on each other’s feet.” She looked at Frisk, which was a signal for them to play some music to dance to.

     The dim atmosphere of the room gave it that prom feel. Even in their home, it already felt romantic, and this might be as good as it’s going to get—the actual prom might be a mess with how many people there were going to be. But for now, they could enjoy dancing without anyone yelling their lungs out and bumping into another couple.

     Asriel’s eyes were glued to the floor, watching Chara’s and his own feet as to not step on theirs. It was easy getting the rhythm down, moving his body in sync with Chara and the music. But stepping on their feet was inevitable. He winced, but they were able to recover without much consequence. “Sorry,” he apologized.

     “It’s fine. The worse that could’ve happen is either you or Arcadia trip and fall on top of the other, and you’d be in quite the awkward predicament.” Chara laughed softly. “But you two are going to dance barefoot, so there won’t be much pain before you fall into an embarrassing position. Unless, of course, she decides to wear high heels for some damn reason, but I feel confident with betting all my winnings against that.”

     Asriel smiled as he continued to get the hang of the whole slow dance thing. He spun their under his hand, this time with proper timing. Doing this, it made him grow eager of dancing with Arcadia.

     Meeting her again at school two days ago was awkward, to say the least. Of course, only their little group knew of the incident that occurred that one night, but he couldn’t help feeling embarrassed by it. He could tell that even she was ashamed of the scene they made. Thankfully none of them spread rumors of Arcadia being the one to steal his first kiss. Though, thinking more about that night, something felt a little . . . off. Even when she admitted that she was joking along, he could sense a bit of seriousness in her actions.

     He spun Chara once more, but instead of returning and pulling closer, they let go for Frisk to take his hand. “May I take this dance, Boss?” They giggled, which made him laugh and smile.

     “How smooth of you, Frisk.”

     “Thanks. I learned it from none other than your invaluable teachings.”

     “That’s such a bold lie, Frisk, and you know it,” Asriel laughed. “You’ve always been a charismatic person—a frisky one, if you will.”

     “I know.”

     After the first spin with Frisk, the music switched to the next slow track. Frisk held both of his hands, and their movements changed; not too drastic that they’d fall on each other, but enough for him to step on their feet and stumble every now and then. He let Frisk guide them for the most part, their hands leading his. They spun around and wrapped their own arms around their abdomen, their back against Asriel while he continued to hold their hands.

     “You know, I didn’t actually need to ask you for help. I just thought it was fun to see how you would teach me, and honestly? I had a blast these past few days, and I actually learned a bit from you.” Frisk spun and returned to their original position, and the dance cycled. “I can now safely say that I’m 100% confident for the prom.”

     “Wait, really? You weren’t confident before?” he asked. Frisk wasn’t already that confident for the event? Never mind that this was all for fun for them, that last part confused him. Granted that even he wasn’t that confident and he was the one teaching them, but it was Frisk. Confidence was one of the first few words that would come to mind when thinking of them.

     “Not completely. I’m just a bit afraid, I suppose.”

     “Afraid of what? You’re going to dance with Chara, and you’re fairly familiar with everyone at school. I see no reason for you to be nervous about anything.”

     Frisk remained silent as they continued to dance with Asriel. They later sighed and said, “I guess you’re right.” A soft smile grew on their face. “I shouldn’t worry my head off. Things should go the way it should on Friday.”

 

     Dinner went by pretty quick. They mostly ate in peace with occasional short conversations about the prom or some other minor subjects that were relative at the moment. After that the youngsters went straight to their bedroom. Instead of resuming their dance practice, they minded their own businesses on each of their beds. Frisk was on their phone, browsing through a social media while on their belly; Chara read a book with a chocolate in their hand, a warm cup of tea on their bedside table; Asriel lay down and played with a fireball, tossing and catching on each hand. The flame was merely warm as he didn’t want to burn their home down for a missed catch. Fiddling with his guitar to pass the time came to mind, but he didn’t want his random string of notes to disrupts Chara’s mind from indulging Turtles All the Way Down.

     He eventually spaced out after a couple minutes of repeating the same action. He then began to think of Arcadia. He thought of how the dance with her would turn out. He thought of how often they would step on each other’s feet. He thought of how bright their smiles would be.

     He thought of when she kissed him that other night.

     It still bothered him, having that creeping suspicion that something was off. The hint of seriousness in her actions and demeanor—it’s like she felt something different. Maybe it was just the way she threatened to crush his hand with her metallic one. That thought alone almost made him scared. But it’s ironic to think about: to lose a hand by someone crushing it with a prosthetic? If that situation didn’t turn out horribly he would be laughing at it now.

     A sigh leaves his mouth. He caught the fireball one last time before extinguishing it by slowly curling his hand into a fist. _No need to worry my head off over things in the past_ , he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

     Toriel and Asgore were helping Asriel and Chara and Frisk dress up in separate rooms. They all whined that they could do it themselves, but they insisted. Probably to have a little talk with them before they send them to school, which would probably have another talk during the trip their as Toriel would be with them with Papyrus picking them up. Thankfully Asriel was going to walk alone as he needed to pick Arcadia up. He didn’t have a luxurious sports car or a fancy limousine with a private driver, but he had his heart and stamina to walk all the way to her home, which was on the way to school. He’ll carry her the entire trip if he had to.

     He was alone with mom in her room. She adjusted his black tie, making sure it wasn’t lopsided and was straight against his chest. “Now Asriel, are you sure certain you do not need to hitch a ride with us?”

     “It’s fine, mom. It’d be more romantic to pick her up personally and walk with her, wouldn’t you agree?” Asriel said, putting a faint smile on Toriel’s face.

     “I suppose so. I’m just concerned of something terrible happening to you two. If it comes down to that in an unwanted encounter, just remember all of your lessons with me and your father, all right?”

     “Running isn’t cowardly—it’s strategic,” they both recite in unison.

     “And don’t hurt anyone, not even your worst enemies,” he added.

     “I’m assuming Frisk told you that. That is respectable, I must say, and I do hope you three abide by that. I will be watching you all, as I am one of the heads.”

     “Of course we will.” He never had trouble following Frisk’s philosophy, and neither did Chara—or at least, as far as he could remember. Sure, having a heated argument was inevitable, but the worst it got was ending with some minor bruises and scrapes. Blood would never get involved, and magic would only get used for intimidation, never to afflict physical pain on their “not-so-friendly _friends_.”

     Toriel straightened her spine. With a hand on her chin and eyes squinted, she examined his entire outfit and appearance in general. She then wore a pleased expression. “Perfect.”

     Asriel turned to face the standing mirror. He smiled, seeing how well the tuxedo suited him. His fur didn’t puff out too much, which was something he worried about a couple days ago. “Now all I need is a cane, a monocle, and a top hat and I’ll be set.”

 

     Arcadia’s house wasn’t too far from theirs. Passing by about a dozen other houses, he arrived at her front lawn. The lights from inside were lit, which was always a good sign when picking someone up. He walked up to the front doorstep and gave the door a couple good knocks. He could hear mumbles from inside, but he couldn’t quite understand, and he figured he didn’t need to lean in to eavesdrop. Eventually, the door opened, and he was greeted by Arcadia and her parents.

     “Ah, well if it isn’t the charming Prince of all Monsters,” said her dad. “A perfect match for our little princess.” Arcadia groaned, embarrassed by being called that.

     You could easily tell that they were Arcadia’s parents. Aside from being well known and being the only family to resemble foxes, their fur had the same color scheme of white and orange. Though, each of them had different streaks of either white or brown fur, giving them all a unique look.

     “We’re happy that you decided to choose our daughter as your date for the prom. You can’t imagine how thrilled she was to announce that news to us,” Her mom said with a chuckle, putting a blush on her face.

     “I’m glad you feel that way, Mr. and Mrs. Sylveria.” Asriel smiled. He noticed how visible the tint of red was on Arcadia’s face, and he could already guess just how embarrassed she felt.

     “Well, we better get going,” Arcadia said, stepping out of the house and standing beside Asriel. “We might get late considering how long we have to walk.”

     “Yes, be on your way,” her mom said. “Stay safe you two, and remember to have fun.”

     “Yeah, we will.” Arcadia waved at them as they began to head off. “Bye, mom and dad.”

 

     The walk to the prom was quiet at first. Side-by-side, they didn’t even look each other as they would stare ahead of them with occasional glances at whatever caught their interests. They each would glance at the other, their eyes meeting for a split second on one occasion.

     Arcadia wore a black strap dress with crystal beads that sort of acted as a belt around her waist. She wore no make-up, but her neatly groomed fur on her face and entire body in general made up for the lack of artificial beauty (and make-up on fur didn’t sound like a good look, to begin with). Thankfully she was barefoot like he was, so he didn’t have to worry about hurting each other during the dance.

     Asriel broke the silence when he asked, “Are you excited?”

     “As excited as I can get for imminent shame.”

     “Huh? Why so?”

     “I . . .” She sighed. “I just know someone’s going to make fun of us. I mean, how could they not? They already make fun of us in class.”

     Asriel looked at her, unable to make eye contact as she glanced off to the side. “Get rid of that, on your face.”

     She looked back at him, her saddened expression switching to a confused and insulted one. “Get rid of what? I’m not wearing any make-up, just so you know.”

     “You know what I mean.”

     Arcadia just stared at him for the longest time. She finally understood as indicated by her eye roll and chuckle. “Very funny, Az.” She looked back ahead of her. “I just can’t help but worry about what’s gonna happen later.”

     “Well, anyone who laughs at us can go screw themselves. You look gorgeous, and their insults can’t change that about you.”

     Another moment of silence, enough time to allow the color of their faces to return to normal. Asriel offered his hand. Arcadia stared at it before eventually holding it. Her left hand felt warm and soft, contrasting the cold and metallic feel of her prosthetic hand. He rubbed his thumb across her finger for a second, and she did the same not too long after.

     She sighed. “I’m glad to be with you, Asriel.”

     “Yeah, same. I’m happy to be able to call you my date.”

 

     The large gym room served as their prom’s area. It wasn’t as chaotic as Asriel had anticipated, but it was still a bit crowded and loud with multiple voices overlapping one another. Thankfully they didn’t have to yell at each other in order to communicate. There was a section of the gym with several white cloth-draped long tables that had food, mostly finger food and of course a few bowls that served punch. A stage was set at one end of the room, and in front of it, of course, was the most important part: a wide clear spot for each date to dance. There was nothing special about it, really—it was just a place that was mostly deserted at the moment.

     Up to now they were still holding hands, and a few other couples had already taken notice of that. They didn’t verbally call them out, but people would point at them and hide their laughter behind a hand.

     “So . . . what do we do in the meantime, before the dance?” asked Arcadia. Asriel looked at her and shrugged.

     “I guess find Frisk and the gang and talk with them to pass the time.”

     Arcadia looked away, but Asriel was able to catch a glimpse of the grimace on her face. “Is something wrong?”

     “No, no, I just remembered how long this party is going to be. I didn’t really have anything fun planned during this period of the event.”

     “Oh, well, neither did I.” Asriel lightly tugged her arm. “Come on, they’re probably waiting for us.”

     They searched around the well-lit room for the others. Passing by more couples (and a few lone souls), they got used to people and monsters looking surprised and gossiping about “the prince dating a regular monster.” Though, some genuinely kind individuals complimented them both—that lightened up their spirits, at least.

     Glancing around, Arcadia spied Frisk waving at them. She merely stared at the group for a few seconds before tapping Asriel’s shoulder.

     “I thought you two weren’t ever going to show up!” Hope said.

     “Yeah, sorry for taking so long. Walking isn’t really the fastest way to travel. Nice outfits, by the way,” Asriel complimented.

     Frisk was wearing a dark blue backless gown with ballerina shoes; Chara donned a furious red dress that had slits on either side and low-heels; Hope wore an olive green gown while using frameless glasses instead of her usual round ones; Faith wore a simple pastel yellow gown; and Shannon, their other friend, wore a lavender gown. Without her piercing, the scar on her lower lip looked obvious after staring for a few seconds.

     “Did you bail on your suit idea?” Arcadia asked, looking at Chara who nodded in response.

     “It was tough deciding which one would piss off more people, and I decided that me and Frisk both wearing dresses would look ‘weirder’ than me wearing a suit.”

     Asriel glanced at each of them, and he noticed Faith’s lack of a partner. “Did Max change his mind last second?”

     “No, he texted me that he got sick earlier this morning and couldn’t come, so I’m just here to accompany Hope. He apologized for it, o-of course.”

     “Well that sucks.” Asriel’s eyes avert to Hope and Shannon. “Are you two going to dance?” he asked, causing them both to let out a sheepish laugh.

     “I wish,” Hope said. “Shannon doesn’t like the idea of dancing for a huge event with another girl, and she doesn’t have a date either, so . . . we’re just gonna stand around and watch the dance later.”

     “I’ll dance with you for fun if that makes you happy,” said Shannon.

 

     They chatted for a while, eventually moving to the food area once one of their stomachs grumbled. Asriel almost went too far into an argument with someone who kept pestering Arcadia, but Frisk and Chara were able to cool him down before he threatened someone with a fireball. Now everyone was eating finger food except for Asriel and Arcadia, who wasn’t starving and only drank some flavorful drink from paper cups.

     Admittedly, it could’ve gone worse, like someone getting seriously injured. Whether it’d be him or that pest, he shouldn’t worry about it now. He had an event to enjoy! And what better way to have fun than to bond with his friends.

     Everyone turned their head toward the stage as microphone taps blasted through speakers set at each side of the stage. “All right, everyone,” a male teacher announced, “the highly anticipated dance of the night will begin in about 20 minutes. So in the meantime, do as you pleased; just please don’t get into any trouble.”

     Toriel then reminded, “Do not forget to vote for the king and queen of the night. The voting box is placed at the front entrance if you missed it. And do remember to enjoy the night. That is all.” Then everyone returned to their own worlds.

     Asriel and Arcadia still haven’t voted for the King and Queen. They didn’t miss it upon entering the gym as it was one of the first things they noticed—they just simply don’t know who to vote for. Themselves would be a cheap and easy choice, and since none of the others had a date, Frisk and Chara was their only choice.

     “Which couple do you think is going to take the crowns tonight?” asked Hope.

     “It’s tough to tell,” Asriel said. “It’s possible for either me and Arcadia or Frisk and Chara to win, but it’s also . . . questionable. The people here either love us, despise us with a burning passion, or feel indifferent about us.”

     “Aw, have a little bit of faith, Asriel! I’m sure there’s enough people rooting for you and Cade.”

     Asriel laughed. He didn’t much care for winning the title of King of the Night; he just wanted to have a good time and dance with Arcadia. He didn’t know what her opinion on it was, however, but judging from how she seemingly felt about the prom, he figured she didn’t care as well. He then told her that he was going to cast his vote, and she followed him to the voting box, leaving the rest to continue their debate on who the King and Queen of the Night will be.

 

     It was time. The teachers/hosts have announced that the dance will begin in a couple minutes. Almost everyone was holding their date’s hand, and that included Asriel and Arcadia. The Boss Monster felt excited. It was time to finally dance with Arcadia. He looked at her face, and she wore an anxious expression. He gave a chuckle, playfully bumping their arms together. “Why are you so nervous? Just enjoy this dance with me.”

     Arcadia pursed her lips. She wouldn’t even look at him as her eyes were off staring at her own feet. She eventually said, “It’s not just that that I’m dreading . . . .”

     Asriel raised a brow. Before he could ask what she meant, he felt someone else hold his other hand. He looked back, and confusion and surprise arose in his mind. “Frisk?”

     “Ready to dance, Azzy?”


	6. Chapter 6

     “Excuse me?”

     Frisk just gave a sweet laugh in response and returned to smiling at him. Chara was behind them, arms crossed with an impassive expression. They didn’t seem to be surprised and questioning Frisk’s action, so he could only assume that he knew of this.

     Frisk continued to gently hold his hand, while Arcadia’s grip got tighter—this time it started to actually hurt a bit.

     “You’re _not_ going to take him from me!” she yelled and pulled Asriel, causing Frisk to flinch and let go. “He’s _my_ date, and I’m not going to play along with your stupid plan. I don’t care if he’s your brother—he’s going to dance with me, and me only.”

     “W-what?” Frisk raised a hand near their face. Their face scrunched up a little, as if they were going to burst into tears, but it turned into anger as they balled their hands into fists. “What do you mean you’re ‘not going to play along’!?” They took a forceful step forward. “We talked about it a few days ago during lunch!”

     “We _talked_ about it; that doesn’t mean I agreed to it!” Her hand clenched harder. A faint, orangish glow emitted from her metal hand, as if to form a fireball.

     Chara, and also Asriel, looked around, seeing that they were the center of attention. Chara frowned at this. “That’s enough, Frisk,” they said, causing them to stop and look before they could take another step and take a swing. “Face it, your plan failed, and you’re causing a scene because of it.

     “But–“

     "Forget about going after Az and just . . .” They stepped forward and offered a hand. “Please, will you have this dance with me?”

     Frisk stared in disbelief. They had a look of someone that’s been shattered to pieces. Their lower lip trembled, tears rolling down their cheeks. They shook their head. “N-no. I want to dance with Asriel. I want to . . . I-I wanted to . . .” They bit their lips and shut their eyes. They proceeded to run off toward the exit, one arm wiping their face while the shoved everyone that didn’t step aside from their path.

     Asriel wanted to chase after them, but Chara stopped him as they put a hand out toward him and said, “Stay,” before they dashed off after them.

     He stood there, unable to process everything that went into his mind. Arcadia’s grip on his hand had already eased up, but it was his turn to slowly crush hers. His anger and disappointment in himself clouded his thoughts that he couldn’t properly hear anything aside from the voices of his inner demons. It was only after being shaken that he came back to his senses and realized that his claws were digging into Arcadia’s hand. He promptly let go and withdrew his arm.

     “I . . . S-sorry.” He got closer to her, seeing the punctures that he caused on her only fleshy hand.

     Arcadia gritted her teeth, holding her wrist as she lowered her hand.

     “What is the meaning of all this?” Toriel stood before them. Just from her voice she sounded displeased and austere. “You two, hallway—I am going to have a word with the both of you.”

 

     Asriel and Arcadia sat on two of the chairs that were lined up against the wall. They waited for Toriel to finish reassuring the other students. What worsened their current situation was that the dance was going to start without them.

     Once his neck started to hurt from staring at the white, polished floor, he looked at Arcadia. She didn’t look as troubled from the pain, but she still had her metal hand around her wrist. Thankfully she didn’t bleed, unlike him and humans. It felt weird to him to be the only monster to have blood in his system. He couldn’t determine if having blood meant it would hurt more, but he assumed pain was relatively close all across the board, human or monster or anywhere in between.

     “Are you all right?” he asked.

     “Yeah, I am. You didn’t hurt me too bad,” she replied, not sparing a glance as she hung her head.

     “I didn’t mean just that.” He went silent to wait for a response, but Arcadia didn’t speak. “Did you know about all this?” He was responded with more silence from the kitsune. He sighed and returned to looking back at the floor.

     He began wondering where his siblings were. Were they talking it out outside of the building? Did they decide to go home? Is Chara still chasing Frisk through the city? Should he bail out now and see if everything was okay? As the chain of thought lengthened, his mood worsened. He couldn’t shake it off, and he hated it—he hated how he was the centerpiece of all this.

  
     “I’m sorry,” Arcadia finally spoke, breaking his thought spiral. His eyes looked at her as she continued, “I’m so sorry for causing all of that. I’m sorry for upsetting Frisk; I’m sorry for upsetting Chara; I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

     Asriel turned his head a little. “Arcadia, you–”

     “I should’ve just let you dance with Frisk—you two would be smiling right now, and all of this wouldn’t have happened, and I’d be better off alone at home right now.”

  
     “Arcadia.” Asriel placed his hands on her shoulders; her body adjusted a little toward him. “What are you saying? You giving me up so I can dance with Frisk wouldn’t have made me happy. I’d be just as upset knowing that you have no one to be with.”

     Arcadia’s eyes stared into Asriel’s before drifting off and returning to the floor. “I don’t deserve to be with anyone, especially with someone as great and alluring as you. You deserve someone better.” Her lips quivered, and her eyes got watery. Almost immediately, Asriel pulled her into a hug. It caught her off guard as indicated by her body stiffening. She gradually eased up and weakly wrapped her arms around Asriel. Tears began rolling down her cheek, dampening her fur. She gave in and began sniffling, but she resisted her body’s urge to start crying like a pup.

     In an effort to comfort her, Asriel patted her back and whispered reassuring and comforting words.

     Asriel felt his phone buzz against his leg. He let go of Arcadia to pull out his phone from his pocket. He clicked the home button to light up the screen. The notification caught his eyes as it was a preview of Chara’s text.

     “I need help,” it read, and that was it. No further texts were sent afterward, but those three words were enough to terrify him. Arcadia, after having sniffed and wiped her eyes, asked what it was, but Asriel made a mad dash for the building’s exit. A yell from the kitsune didn’t slow him down as he didn’t hesitate in his decision.

     He could hear her footsteps and voice behind her as he neared the exit, but he could barely come up with any cohesive thoughts. “Something’s wrong,” was the best that he could describe it.

     Swinging the front doors open, he swung his head around—Chara and Frisk were nowhere to be seen. Arcadia finally caught up with him and asked, “Az, tell me, what are you doing?”

     Asriel was panting from both fear and slight exhaustion. Running in a suit wasn’t ideal, and his coat of fur only made him feel hotter. After a few deep breaths, he said, “Chara needs help. I might just be overthinking and exaggerating, but I have a feeling something’s happened with Frisk.”

     Before he could start a lap around the school ground, he got another text from Chara—actually, consecutive texts from them.

      _In the park_

_Near the fountain_

_Go_ alone

     “Go alone . . . ?” Asriel muttered, which Arcadia barely heard as she looked both surprised and worried. He gloomily looked at her, returning his phone in his pocket. “Well, you heard what I said.” He gently held her hand. “Go back in, and tell mom that I’m handling it. And don’t worry about me.” He pulled her closer for a quick kiss on the lips before heading off to the nearby park.

     Arcadia just stood there and watched, stunned with her mouth open. She took a step but clenched her metal hand as she reconsidered following after him.

  
     Perpetual Park was about a six-minute jog away from the school. They got pretty far, which was concerning to think about. Running to the nearest alleyway was more plausible than ending up in where they were—in their favorite park/hang out spot, no less.

     His running descended to walking once he entered the lot. He—if needed—didn’t want to reason with Frisk while gasping for air. Plus, this gave him time to relax a bit and contemplate. He received no extra texts from Chara, which could either be a good or bad sign.

     At the heart of the park was the fountain, and at the other side of where he was, was a strip where Chara and Frisk stood. He circled the fountain, and he stood beside Chara. Fear quickly began to flood his mind as he watched Frisk, armed with a knife that was pointed toward themselves.

     “They took my hidden knife from me,” Chara whispered. That was such a bad idea to begin with, admittedly, but Chara was persistent on having a knife strapped to their leg for ‘emergencies.’ The two began to approach Frisk, who took a step back each time they took a step closer.

     “Frisk, calm down,” said Asriel. “I’m sorry for earlier, and Arcadia is sorry as well.”

     Her name was like a forbidden word for Frisk as their grip on the knife tightened after hearing it. “Don’t mention her name,” they hissed. “I don’t want to hear or _see_ her after crossing me!”

     “Frisk,” Chara said, “you’re being unreasonable. One dance isn’t going to define the relationship between you and Asriel, but I feel the same way as you do when you wanted to dance with Asriel. Both of us feel crushed, and you acting like this won’t solve any of this.”

     Frisk trembled at the choice that they could make. They choked, having trouble breathing and speaking. “I’ve been planning this for over a year now. I’ve had my eyes on Asriel ever since we brought him back to life.” They jerked their arm and held the knife’s handle with both hands, as though ready to stab themselves in the gut.

     “Frisk!” Asriel took quick steps toward them, but not quite reaching arm’s length. “Frisk, come on, think about this.”

     “There’s no one else like you, Az. You’re special to me. If I can’t have, then what’s the point? My heart and soul will forever be lonely.” Frisk took in a deep breath. Their fists formed white knuckles. Only one swift motion to end it all. But they didn’t. They couldn’t. Through flooded eyes, they saw not only the hurt in Asriel’s eyes, but also in Chara’s. They looked . . . devastated by their decision. Like how Frisk looked when their plan went into ruins. They . . . they shouldn’t–

     Frisk shut their eyes and stabbed full force into their own heart. A cry of pain was followed by the gasps of their siblings. “I’m sorry,” a voice whimpered.

     A voice that wasn’t Frisk’s.

     Coming into view was Arcadia, who had turned invisible and got in the way between Frisk’s chest and the dagger. She had a weak smile on her pained expression. Frisk let go of the weapon’s handle and took a step back from her as she got on one knee. With shallow breathing, her voice sounded feeble as she spoke. “I . . . I hope this is g-good enough of an apology.”

     Asriel went to her aid when she collapsed. He delicately pulled the knife out and patted and shook her, but no response. His hand immediately radiated a green glow as he witnessed her beginning to fade to dust. He focused his magic to begin healing her, which miraculously halted her from dusting. Chara knelt down next to her, pulling a chocolate out of their inventory, but Arcadia was unconscious, unable to consume the healing item.

     Asriel picked her up, careful to not touch the deep wound on her back. Chara wiped the dust off the knife after picking it off the ground. After sliding it into the strap on their right leg, Chara and Asriel looked at Frisk, who was trembling.

     Without a word, Asriel ran off. Chara chased after him. Pointing in the opposite direction, they yelled, “The hospital is that way!”

     “The school’s nearer. Mom should be able to mend her back to a more stable condition.” Both Asriel’s hands were engulfed in the green glow of his magic. Arcadia’s body remained the same, but he wasn’t able to restore the portions that had already turned to dust.

     Frisk stared at them as they sprinted away. They pressed their lips, wincing, before running after them.


	7. Chapter 7

     Arcadia’s body was set down on a bed. The school clinic was vacant, and a nurse—who was thankfully a monster trained with healing magic—was able to stabilize her vitals. Asriel and Chara stood by the bedside, wearing frowns as they stared down at her. The nurse had left to talk with their mom outside of the clinic with the other teachers.

     “At least she’s alive,” mumbled Chara.”

     “Yeah,” Asriel whispered. He looked back to see the Frisk, Hope, and Faith sitting on chairs by the door, with Shannon leaning against the wall. Frisk looked miserable, but the twins seemed to be trying to cheer them up as they both had a look of optimism. Shannon, on the other hand, looked uneasy to be in this room.

     “Should we . . . ?” He glanced at Chara, who proceeded to nod.

     Frisk had hung their head the entire time. They finally lifted their head as their siblings approached them. “Do you hate me?” they asked with a grim tone before the two could even speak.

     “No,” reassured Asriel, “we don’t.”

     “But why? I almost killed the love of your life, and I threatened to stab myself. How could you not despise me for what I’ve done?”

     Chara sighed. “We’ve all done some horrible stuff in the past, Frisk, you know that. You know how much of a terrible person Az and I have been before. Do you really think we won’t see the good in you ever again?”

     Being called a “terrible person” for what “he” did before was irritating to Asriel to say the least, and it didn’t even seem to make a dent in Frisk’s gloomy mood as they lowered their head.

     “Ugh, come on, Frisk! Just listen to reason for once!” Chara yelled. Their attempts to lighten up their spirit continued, but it proved to be fruitless. Frisk would continue to deny everything they said.

     Chara was just about to give up, and Asriel was ready to take the wheel on trying to cheer Frisk up. “Chara, I think you should—” He froze, just as how Frisk froze in their seat. Chara was leaning forward as their lips made contact with Frisk’s.

     “There,” Chara straightened herself. “If you still don’t see the message I’m trying to send to you, then I give up.”

     Frisk blinked. A chuckle eventually left them, and it gradually escalated into laughter. Everyone looked baffled by the scene Chara created. “That . . . That sent a message all right.” A faint smile eventually cracked on their face, and it spread to everyone else.

     The prom was over, and everyone aside from a few teachers and staff had gone home. Asriel sat on the edge of the stage with Chara and Frisk to his left, and Hope, Faith, and Shannon to his right. They had dispelled all the negativity from Frisk and decided to spend next few minutes here. It was a lot of more peaceful in the gym now that it was basically empty.

     Hope borrowed a guitar that was lying around. It belonged to presumably one of the staffs, and she was sure to return it. For the meantime she fiddled with the strings and tried to play a tune with the help of Asriel. He’d mostly helped to get her fingers on the right chords and let her pluck until she got the right volume for it.

     Meanwhile Chara and Frisk were chit-chatting away, mostly about how much Chara has had a fondness for Frisk for so long. “I can’t believe that you haven’t noticed all this time,” Asriel heard Chara say.

     Asriel took his eyes off the guitar as he heard someone enter the room. At the other side of the room stood Arcadia. His heart jumped with joy and excitement as he hopped off the stage. The fox could only walk because of the after-pain presumably, but Asriel was able to hug her in mere seconds.

     “I’m so glad you’re all right,” he whispered. They looked into each other’s eyes, a smile on both their faces. “Never do something as bold as that.”

     “But then you’d have one less sibling—and one less reason to love me,” Arcadia chuckled, causing Asriel to laugh as well.

     Behind her stood Toriel, who looked pleased at what she was seeing. “I am happy to see you in a more stable condition, Arcadia. I shall give you and your little group the next 20 minutes to reunite with one another and have your own prom. Just be sure to not make a mess.”

  
     Playing with the laptop and volume mixer, they picked out a good music to dance to. At first only Asriel and Arcadia and Chara and Frisk danced, but the other three eventually joined for fun. The three took turns with each other, a different pair dancing every few minutes.

     “I still prefer you serenading me,” Arcadia said. “But this is fine, too.”

     Asriel was gentle with Arcadia. He’d spin her more slowly and held her hips lightly, careful to not cause her any pain. After a while they just swayed, appreciating each other’s company while staring deep into the other’s eyes.

     They looked at Chara and Frisk, who gazed back at them. “No hard feelings, right, Frisk?”

     Frisk nodded with a small smile. “I’m still sorry for earlier—for everything.”

     “I forgive you for all of that. I really can’t blame you; I can see how much you loved cared about Azzy.”

     “But it almost cost your life. How can you be fine with that?”

     “Hey,” interrupted Chara, “let’s discuss that another time. We could continue this tomorrow, maybe with some ice cream?”

     Hope overheard that last part as she uttered an eager gasp. “Ice cream!?”

     “Yeah, I think I still have some spare money at home. I might be able to buy a cone for all of us.“

     “And I might be able to double that,” added Shannon. “I’m down to hang out with you guys. Tomorrow?”

     They all exchanged glances at each other before nodding in unison. “Tomorrow.”

  
     Once Hope and Faith got picked up by their mom, the rest decided to walk back home. They later waved Shannon goodbye after their paths in the residential area diverged. Only four remained—Frisk holding Chara’s hand, and Asriel holding Chara’s. Toriel was still back at school, discussing some matter with a few teachers, but she should follow soon.

     “You two go on ahead,” said Asriel as they arrived at Arcadia’s house. He looked at her, beaming.

     “Well, I guess this is good-bye. For tonight, at least,” Arcadia said as Asriel walked her to the front door

     “Yeah,” Asriel mumbled. “Are you going to be all right? You’re not feeling any pain?”

     “I should be able to sleep this through. It’ll probably be gone by tomorrow—you won’t believe how amazing the nurse patched it up.”

     Asriel chuckled. “That’s good to hear.” He leaned closer and, their eyes closing, gave one last kiss. It lasted for so long that they forgot to breathe.

     Cheeks bright red, they exchanged smiles before Arcadia opened the door and stepped in. “See you tomorrow?”

     Asriel nodded. “See you tomorrow.”

     Once she shut the door, Asriel turned back and began to head home. He let out a content sigh. “I wonder what flavor’s her favorite. . . .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! I'm open to any criticism on this as this is my first ever fanfic. I might also work on a few more stories as I do have some in mind, but who knows if I'll ever get to finishing any of them :P
> 
> Anyway, if anyone's reading this, I hope you have a stellar day/night! And always stay determined!


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